Small craft hand rail assembly

ABSTRACT

A small craft hand rail or grab rail has a wood dowel rail, preferably teak, and the rail is supported less than two dowel diameters from the deck by pylons of polymeric plastic preferably of higher modulus than the dowel so that the dowel can be readily removed for replacement or repair. Each pylon has a semicircular groove to receive the rail and is secured to the deck independently of the rail.

[0001] This invention relates generally to a small craft hand rail assembly, and deals more particularly with a hand rail assembly comprising individually fabricated pylon support members adapted for permanent attachment to a deck or roof on the craft, and a cylindrical hand rail designed to be releasably secured to these pylon supports.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A hand rail assembly has a circular cross section constant throughout its length and is supported on a surface at less than 2 diameters above the surface by pylon supports that define upwardly open grooves for receiving the cylindrical rail. These pylon supports are wider at the base than at the groove defining top, and the end supports have a convex contour to present no hazardous projections to those on board who rely upon the rail to avoid being tossed about while the craft is underway.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing a portion of a hand rail assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention.

[0004]FIG. 2 is an end sectional view taken generally on the line of 2-2 of FIG. 1.

[0005]FIG. 3 is a top view of the inner support depicted in FIG. 1.

[0006]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the hand rail assembly depicted in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0007] Turning now to the drawings in greater detail, FIG. 1 shows in part a hand rail assembly of the type which incorporates the present invention, and illustrates one of two identical end supports that are adapted to support an elongated generally cylindrical rail or dowel for use as a grab rail/hand rail on a small craft or boat.

[0008] In the event that the rail assembly exceeds some predetermined length (approximately 2.5 feet) an inner support 20 can be used to support the rail 30 as suggested in FIGS. 1 and 4. The inner and the end supports are preferably fabricated from a material which can be permanently secured to the deck or roof, as for example by machine screws provided in the openings 10 a.

[0009] Alternatively, these inner and end supports can be secured from below the deck or roof in other conventional fashions as for example by upwardly projecting screws that penetrate openings in the deck or roof of the vessel.

[0010] An important feature of the present invention lies in the fact that the inner and the end supports are quite rugged in construction so that any breakage of the rail assembly will occur in the readily replaceable rail itself. The rail or dowel is of wood, such as teak for example, and is preferably one inch in diameter, and adapted to be secured at least to the end supports by wood screws or other suitable fasteners, depending upon the material from which the end and the inner supports are fabricated. In the event that a thermoplastic or thermal set plastic is utilized to fabricate these supports, a threaded insert is provided in the molded support for receiving a machine screw to secure the dowel/rail in place. A wood screw is shown in the FIG. 1 embodiment.

[0011] Alternatively, the inner supports can be held in place by the same machine screw used to secure the dowel, with the screw extending downwardly through an opening of the roof or deck for this purpose.

[0012] With reference to the end supports, the end wall 10 b is preferably convex in contour so as to avoid any propensity for clothing or lines to be snared by the rail, an important feature dictated by the use for the present invention namely as a hand or grab rail for use in small craft or other vessels.

[0013] The opposite wall 10 c of the end support 10 is concave in contour, and thereby minimizes interference between the support 10 and the fingers of the user as the user grabs the rail 30 to support himself and maintain his balance while the vessel is underway.

[0014] The inner support has both end walls 20 a and 20 b fabricated in a fashion similar to that of the end wall 10 c for the end support. Further, the inner support 20 also defines an upwardly open semicircular groove similar to that shown at 10 d in FIG. 2 for the end support.

[0015] Thus, the rail 30 is preferably cylindrical in configuration, and received by the upwardly open semicircular grooves 10 d and 20 d in the end support and the inner support respectively. The rail or dowel is also shaped at its opposite ends to conform to the convex contour 10 b of the end support as illustrated at 30 a in FIG. 1, and as illustrated in perspective in FIG. 4 at 30 a and 10 b.

[0016] With reference to the supports 10 and 20, each of these is preferably tapered in cross section so as to be somewhat wider at the base 10 e than at the grooved upper portion 10 d referred to previously. The inner support is similar in cross section and although not shown, will have an appearance generally similar to that of the end support as illustrated in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 shows a somewhat flared configuration for the base of the inner support in order to increase the relative strength of the rail assembly when utilized along a particularly extended area of the roof or deck of the vessel. Thus, the base of the inner support 20 in FIG. 4 may be substantially wider than that of the base 10 e of the end support in FIG. 4.

[0017] The Small Craft Hand Rail Assembly is extremely useful in replacing conventional grab rails where pylon distance is irregular and these manufactured items are no longer available.

[0018] In light of the above, it is therefore understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. 

I claim:
 1. A hand rail assembly for small craft having a generally planer surface, said hand rail assembly comprising: at least two end supports, each end support having a convex end wall and a top wall defining a generally semicircular groove, and a cylindrical rail having end portions received by said grooves in said end supports, and said rail being releasably secured to said end supports for ease of installation and replacement.
 2. The hand rail assembly according to claim 1 wherein said rail has a diameter d, and wherein the overall height of the said end supports is less than two times d.
 3. The hand rail assembly of claim 1 wherein said end supports are adapted to be secured to the craft independently of the means for releasably securing said rail to said end supports.
 4. The rail assembly according the claim 1 wherein said end supports are fabricated from a material of significantly higher elastic modulus than that of the material of said rail.
 5. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said hand rail assembly further includes at least one inner support provided in spaced relationship between said end supports, and means for releasably securing said inner support to said craft and for securing said rail to said inner support.
 6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said inner support also defines an upwardly open groove for receiving a segment of said rail, said means for releasably securing said inner support to said craft also serving to secure said rail to said inner support.
 7. The combination of claim 2 wherein the diameter (d) of said rail is approximately one inch. 